Price: ₹599 - ₹409.00
(as of Mar 30, 2025 18:26:53 UTC – Details)
‘Compelling, delightfully weird, often uncomfortable’ PANDORA SYKES
‘Unputdownable, breathtakingly original’ ERIN KELLY
‘I have been glued to Asako Yuzuki’s new novel Butter’ NIGEL SLATER
‘A full-fat, Michelin-starred treat’ THE TIMES
The cult Japanese bestseller about a female gourmet cook and serial killer and the journalist intent on cracking her case, inspired by a true story.
There are two things that I can simply not tolerate: feminists and margarine.
Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in Tokyo Detention Centre convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. The case has captured the nation’s imagination but Kajii refuses to speak with the press, entertaining no visitors. That is, until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew and Kajii can’t resist writing back.
Rika, the only woman in her news office, works late each night, rarely cooking more than ramen. As the visits unfold between her and the steely Kajii, they are closer to a masterclass in food than journalistic research. Rika hopes this gastronomic exchange will help her soften Kajii but it seems that she might be the one changing. With each meal she eats, something is awakening in her body, might she and Kaji have more in common than she once thought?
Inspired by the real case of the convicted con woman and serial killer, “The Konkatsu Killer”, Asako Yuzuki’s Butter is a vivid, unsettling exploration of misogyny, obsession, romance and the transgressive pleasures of food in Japan.
‘Luscious … I devoured this’ IMOGEN CRIMP
‘A salty morsel with one hell of a bite’ ALICE SLATER
‘Nothing short of ingenious’ INEWS
‘Ambitious and unsettling’GUARDIAN
‘It isn’t entirely clear whether to read the novel or devour it’ OBSERVER
From the Publisher
Publisher : Fourth Estate (25 April 2024)
Language : English
Paperback : 464 pages
ISBN-10 : 0008710635
ISBN-13 : 978-0008710637
Item Weight : 270 g
Dimensions : 12.9 x 2.9 x 19.8 cm
Country of Origin : United Kingdom
Customers say
Customers find the writing style luscious and easy to read. They describe the book as an amazing, enjoyable read with thought-provoking prose. The characters are relatable and many of the central characters are female. Many readers find the story suspenseful and compelling, describing it as a true crime case. The themes of isolation, feminism, societal expectations of women, body image, and identity are explored. However, opinions differ on the pacing – some find it expertly woven, while others say it drags at times.
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